Father and Son
by SakraTheHedgie
Summary: Shortly after beating Dr. Light, the Titans allow the Honoraries to stay at the Tower until they feel comfortable going back to their homes. The party, however, gets crashed by Slade's arrival. What does he want? And why is peaceful Jericho so angry?


**A/N Hey guys~! I've been on a Teen Titans obsession lately (my childhood right there), and I wanted to write a fanfic containing one of my favorite characters; Jericho! I don't know why, but I absolutely loved him, even though he only appeared for two episodes 3. I wondered what would happen if Slade and Jericho got into a fight, considering they're father and son-so, I made this. By the way, I had to fix Grant's death. I'm going on a bit of show continuity here, so I had to do _something._ And yes, there's references to the Ravager here. I don't know, I might make one about Jericho and Rose...y'know, if I feel like it and if people demand it so. I had fun writing this. Just a nice little one-shot to practice my skills. Have to keep 'em sharp, y'know. Enough of my ramblings! Hope you enjoy, and I own none of this!**

Jericho looked around. He saw so many young heroes, everyone who played their part in the final battle against the Brotherhood of Evil. He remembered how he was one of the few lucky ones that weren't captured—along with his good friend Herald, Pantha, Màs, and Beast Boy—and helped the other, flash-frozen heroes escape. He felt proud of himself; it wasn't every day you were part of a greater cause. Especially when you're a mute with powers you can't explain.

But he still felt very uncomfortable. He didn't know anyone. Even if he knew their names, he rarely knew them. And he wouldn't ever. No one wants to be friends with a mute. Plus, he couldn't bear it if anyone found out about his secret…

The sound of Beast Boy's raging over losing a video game challenge against Màs y Mènos snapped him out of his thoughts. He realized that the rest of the Titans were walking around, greeting everyone, socializing with them. He didn't try to interact with any of them. He lived on a mountain his whole life; he didn't know _how_ to socialize. He was left there, and yet he survived. He couldn't remember how, he just did.

"Uh…hi," someone said awkwardly behind him. Jericho whipped around and saw a gray-skinned, purple-haired girl standing behind him. He recognized her as Raven, one of the Titans. He gave her a small smile and waved.

"So…you're Jericho?" she asked. The blond nodded. "Don't speak much, do you?" He delicately put his fingertips to his throat to show that he couldn't speak. He shuddered at the memory of the knife, the attacker, the blood…

"Something wrong?" Raven drawled. Jericho snapped back to reality for the third time today. He shook his head fervently. He picked up his guitar. He'd always play it when he needed to take his mind off things.

"Well, I'm supposed to be greeting people," Raven sighed. "So…Welcome to the Tower. Enjoy." Raven then hovered off to speak with Herald. Jericho hoped none of them minded if he went outside for a little bit…

Suddenly, a crash sounded. Someone had broken in through the front screen. Glass lay shattered on the carpet. When Jericho saw who it was, his legs turned to jelly, his body froze, and a chill ran up and down his spine. Fear gripped his heart so fiercely he started hyperventilating.

"What's wrong, Jericho?" Herald had appeared next to him. Pointing a shaking finger at the intruder, the Herald prepared his horn. Jericho noticed the black and silver, robotic-looking suit. But what horrified him the most was the black and crimson mask—with the right eye covered up.

"_Slade!_" Robin hissed. Every Titan—original and Honorary—prepared to fight. Jericho tried to slink out of sight.

"What do you want?" Robin demanded. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"Calm yourself, Robin," Slade ordered. "I just came here for what is rightfully mine."

"Nothing here is yours," Robin growled. "Pretty stupid of you to come here when the entire team's here."

"Now, now," Slade simpered. "It's not like you could fight me, anyway. I may not have a true corporal form, but I can harm you—and you can't harm me. Now, as I said before, I came here for what is rightfully mine."

"And as _I_ said, nothing here is yours!" Robin spat.

"Oh yes there is." Slade laughed. "Here's a little fact; I have a son. Two, actually, but one died in a tragic accident." Jericho gulped. _Grant.._. "I also had a daughter; the Ravager." _Rose…_ "You converted her to good, however. But she's not who I'm here for." Slade turned his gaze onto Jericho.

"Joseph," he said. Jericho gulped again. He hadn't heard his true name in ages. "I see you're a Titan now." Everyone turned their surprised looks onto Jericho. The blond started to sweat, uncomfortable with the incredulous and suspicious looks he was getting. He scanned the crowds and glanced at Herald. It wasn't a shocked or suspicious look, but…was it contempt? No, that's not it…disappointment? Jericho swallowed the vomit and nodded firmly at his father.

"Wait…HE'S YOUR FATHER?" Beast Boy screeched. Raven silenced him with her signature death glare. Jericho glanced ashamedly at the floor. He didn't dislike his father; he _hated_ him. He heard about all Slade had done.

"Joseph," Slade repeated, but Jericho shook his head. Herald stepped up next to him.

"His name's Jericho," he said firmly in his mystified voice. "And that's all he'll ever be to us. Jericho. One of the brave five that helped us in the first charge against the Brotherhood of Evil."

"Yes, yes, I heard about that," Slade continued, obviously not interested, stepping towards Jericho. He jumped backward. "Calm down. I've come to take you home."

"No!" Robin shouted, but Cyborg held him back.

"This is Jericho's fight," he told him. "Let's let him handle it." Jericho whipped his head back and forth, his hair flying. He gripped the neck of his guitar tighter. He didn't want to go back. And he wouldn't let him take him.

"But you can't speak," Slade taunted. "How can these children possibly accept you when you can't even greet them?"

"Leave him alone!" Herald ordered. "It's not his fault he's mute!" Jericho gritted his teeth together. He was sick of his father; and it would end here. Jericho charged at Slade, with Herald shouting, "Jericho! No!" He wasn't listening. For now, the only people that existed were him and Slade.

Jericho started by trying to hit Slade with his guitar, but Slade either evaded or blocked every attempt. Slade then landed a punch on his face, causing a bruise to form. Everyone yelled Jericho's name; but he didn't hear. He threw his guitar over his shoulder, then swung back. But the body _passed right through_ Slade's body. Jericho's mouth hung open. Slade simply chuckled.

"Not trying to hurt your father, are you?" he taunted. "You've been a very naughty boy, Joseph. Running around with these Titans, trying to save the world…Boy, think of what you can do with your _powers_." Jericho stopped. What did he know about his powers?

"Ah, _now_ I got your attention," he laughed. He punched Jericho in the nose, breaking it with a sickening _crack!_ Jericho held his bleeding nose, his eyes tight shut in pain.

"Oh, a little pain won't stop you, now will it?" Slade grabbed Jericho's tunic and lifted him off his feet. "I know you wouldn't dare attack your father. Boy, your powers could be used to conquer places far beyond your wildest imagination. If you use your powers for the powerful purpose they were meant for."

Jericho used this opportunity to use said powers. He never tried his possession powers on anything but a corporal form. _I hope this works._ He stared his father straight in the eyes, and his scleras turned black to match his pupil. And then, suddenly, he morphed into his father. Slade yelled, and Jericho fought to keep control of Slade's 'body'.

He saw everything. Everything that happened that dreadful night all those years ago…before he ever discovered his powers…before he ever knew about the Titans…before Slade ever became the deranged enemy of the Titans.

_"Wh-who are you?" Slade demanded to his hooded attacker. "Leave my children be!" The attacker said nothing, but then jumped at the sandy-haired boy, who was the oldest. Taken by surprise, the boy wasn't able to dodge the dagger quickly enough._

_ "GRANT!" the youngest, blond boy shouted._

Is that what I sounded like? _Jericho thought as he looked on. He hadn't heard his voice in so long he forgot what it sounded like. Grant tried to yank the dagger out of his chest, but he lost too much blood too quickly. He dropped to his knees, then the floor, unmoving. The platinum-blond girl, the middle child, held her younger, crying brother._

Rose…Is she even still alive? _Jericho thought miserably. The attacker pulled the dark red blade out of Grant's chest, then charged at Rose. The girl shrieked before hi-kicking him in the face and delivering a roundhouse kick. She jumped up to the windowsill and looked at the younger Jericho pleadingly._

_ "I'll come back for you," she vowed. "With help, I swear it!" She then jumped out the broken glass window like a ninja and disappeared into the night. The attacker then turned to Jericho. The young boy backed up, then ran for his father, screaming. The hooded man was too quick for him. He grabbed the younger boy by his arm and put the knife to his throat. Jericho screamed his lungs out before the armed man slashed his throat._

_ "No!" Slade screeched, reaching for his dying son. "I've lost two of you today; I won't lose the third!" He grabbed some sort of lotion out of his pocket. He rubbed it on his hands, then rubbed it feverishly on Jericho's throat. The lotion made Jericho's throat glow with the healing powers it contained, and soon, the blood stopped flowing, and Jericho's throat was closed, and a scar signaling an attack with a dagger had appeared in its place. Jericho tried to yell, but no sound came out. His hands scrambled to his throat, a wild, terrified look in his eyes. Slade rushed the attacker, engaging him in battle._

_ Every attack was blocked or reflected by both sides. They were evenly matched. If the other landed a blow, it'd be a killing one. Finally, the mysterious hooded man threw his knife at Slade's right eye. Slade screamed in pure agony, then pulled out the knife, his eye gushing blood._

_ "I can't—I can't see!" he cried. He groaned in agony again._

_ "Joseph—_run._" The youngest of his children did as he was told. And Slade never saw him again._

Until now.

But Jericho felt another feeling coming from Slade. Two, in fact. Instead of hate and rage and contempt, there was…care? Pride? He still _cared_ about him? He was _proud_ of him? But how? He was mute. His powers were unusual. Slade was _evil._ How could he care? Could he even _feel _those emotions? Wait, another...pain. _Longing._ He wanted his family reunited. He can't get over the pain and loss of losing all his children in one night; one dead, two gone. His wife passed away giving birth to Jericho due to his powers and mass amounts of energy. His entire family…_gone._

Suddenly, Jericho was pushed out of Slade's mind, and he landed on the ground. Slade stood over him.

"You weren't meant to see that," he said. "Why do you continue to fight with me when you know you're going to lose?" Jericho gave him a determined stare. Slade wouldn't haunt him. He wouldn't be afraid of him. Never again.

He snuck a fleeting glance at the Herald, who nodded discreetly. Jericho charged again, but Slade jumped out of the way. However, Herald blew his horn, and a portal into a deep, never-ending void appeared where Slade had jumped. He yelled before disappearing into the void. Everyone stared in shocked silence before breaking out in uproarious cheers.

Everyone gasped when Jericho ran off into the Tower.

"What is wrong with Jericho?" Starfire asked. "Is he not completely joyful at this momentous occasion?"

"He just banished his father," Robin explained. "Even if you didn't like him, it'd kinda hurt."

"I'll go talk to him," Herald offered.

"Jericho?" Herald asked, opening the door to the roof. He saw his friend silently weeping over the edge. "You okay?" Jericho didn't look at him and shook his head. "What's wrong?" Herald sat next to his friend. Jericho didn't bother to wipe the tears as he pointed to his heart.

"Did he hit you?" Herald guessed. Jericho shook his head. "Oh, wait, I have a better idea." He pulled out a pad and pencil. Jericho scribbled something down.

**He still cares.**

"You're father?"

** Of course. Grant's dead, Rose is a Titan, and now, so am I. We're his kids. Of course he cares. He lost his family in one night, Herald. **_** And**_** he lost his eye. He lost it all in one night. I think that's enough to drive anyone insane.**

"Jericho…I just want you to know that, even though Slade's your father, you're not like him. You're kind; he's cruel. You're brave; he's a coward. You're heroic; he's evil. You're nothing like him. He's a mercenary, and assassin; you're a hero, a Titan. Remember that, Jericho. You'll always be a hero to us, no matter who you're father is." Jericho was silent for a minute. Did Herald really mean that? Jericho's tears continued to flow. He normally doesn't cry; he normally doesn't have things to cry about. But now he did.

Jericho simply looked at Herald to say, "_Thanks._"

"So, what d'you think he wanted?"

**His family back. He lost it all, and he wants it back. But sometimes, you can't have everything in life.**

"Amen to that, brother. Now, let's go back inside. I got a show to put on." The two friends walked inside, Jericho wiping the tears away on his sleeve. Even as he listened in silence to his friend play amazing jazz tunes on Gabriel's Horn, he knew that things would get better. He knew, unlike Slade, that to make things right, you just have to wait. You have to build it up, piece by piece, bit by bit, and be a bit more…_peaceful_ in your life.

And everyone knew he was _really_ good at that.


End file.
